, 1887-09-14
:. HERE AND THERE.n


The Laramie Boomerang is disposed to
condole with Cheyenne over the alleged
failure of the territorial fair, which failure
it bases with refreshing candor on the
ground hat the Laramie people sent only
two exhibits. 1t is part of the stock in
trade of the Laramie papers to deal in
carping criticism of Cheyenne. In season
and out of season they indulge in little
envlous filings that add nothing to their
W dignity and certainly work no per-
manent benefit to the town itself. The
Cheyenne press has been governed by no
such motives in its treatment of Laramie.
OF course the papers here do not believe
that Laramie is a Cheyenne. They recog-
nire it as a good. hard. headed, practical,
early-to.b bed, early-to-rise sort OF town,
with just enough somnolency in the atmos-
phere to make it a pleasant haven of rest
for the careworn man who want to avoid
the hustle and turmoil of the busy world.
There is nothing Rarish or hamboyant
about Laramie. 1t works its ten hours a
day; it cheerfullY smokes its pipe OF an
evening and de%corously %retires at an early
hour to its peaceful slumbers. So it plods
along, happy rather than otherwise, with
out much of the feverish anxiety of more
ambitious communities.
Every once in a while we come across a
man who has risen from the ranks. In
his hot pursuit of wealth he has had no
time to acquire those superficial accom-
plishments which mark the man of leis-
ure. But in his lite Of ease which wealth
has brought him he naturally feels a
tinge of envy at the graceful suavity OF
the polished people who surround him.
1t is with towns as it is with people. A
metropolitan individuality seems to have
been born with Cheyenne. 1t is a
part of the very atmosphere to be at the
forefront In everything. Bustle (male
and female, SO to speak, characterizes
the thoroughfares. Drop a thoroughbred
Chicagoan or New Yorker into our midst
and he still feels himself in the swim. He
is surrounded, on a smaller scale, with
the same vim, energy and progressive
ness as at home. Drop him into Lara
mic and he may perhaps fall into an I'M
guarded sewer.
The perpetual cry of Laramie is its
natural advantages. In these latter
days, however. natural advantages count
for little in comparison with artificial ad-
vantages. st. Louis had Just as many
natural advantages as Chicago. 1t had
in addition wealth, age and business
prestige; yet Chicago wrested away its
commercial scepteT, AS a case nearer
home take Salt Lake City. So far as
mere location goes Ogden has
every advantage in the world.
Il is on the main line
of a transcontinental road, and situated
at the mouth of a valley which must be
entered to reach Salt Lake. And still
business gives Ogden the go by to reach
its lustier nelghbor. S~o-called natural
advantages do not weigh in the scales
against the right sort of people. We
have them here, and they are a pretty
hard lot to get away with. The artificial
advantages to Cheyenne of the Cheyenne
d Burlington railroad, for instance, will
be Of more permanent benefit than many
natural advantages could possibly be.
And, by the way, there are more to
follow.
Laramie is all right so far as it goes,
hnt - 0naapft Nh varu far Go for No II